All Alone, Without Money, No Language--Just Yiddish": An Immigrant's Letters from Missouri to Galicia

In June 1891, Shimshon Gerye, a Jewish immigrant from Galicia (a region that now falls across the border of Ukraine and Poland) living in Sedalia, Missouri, received a letter from a cousin back home. The content of the letter was probably rather mundane (a request to send money, inquiries about health), but its timing was somewhat unusual: in the thirty-five years that Shimshon had been living in America, this was apparently the first he had heard from his family in Europe. What survives of the ensuing correspondence, written in Yiddish and spanning a one-year period, provides an interesting view of the situation of the immigrant and the pressures of assimilation, as well as the Yiddish language in America at the end of the nineteenth century.

Letters from William Croswell to Sarah Bumstead, 1820

This folder contains fifteen letters to Croswell's sister that primarily discuss financial issues and information about Croswell's activities.

Letters from William Croswell to John Thornton Kirkland, 1820 April-August

This folder contains copies of three brief letters from Croswell to Harvard President Kirkland, dated April 5, 1820, July 6, 1820, and August 28, 1820, requesting payment.

Letters from William Croswell to Redford Webster, 1821 January

This folder contains drafts of two one-page letters, dated January 5, 1821, and January 9, 1821, regarding financial assistance.

Letters from William Croswell to Sarah Bumstead, 1821

This folder contains three letters from Croswell to his sister dated January 19, 1821; February 22, 1821; and March 18, 1821, that mention money and Croswell's activities.

Letters from William Croswell to the Harrison Gray Otis, 1824-1825

Two leaves containing drafts of brief notes that accompanied letters for Harvard Corporation between April 1824 and April 1825.

Letters from Daniel White to Andrew Hall, March 23, 1799

These two letters, both written on the same document, appear to be White's response to accusations from the father of one of his students at the Medford grammar school. Andrew Hall appears to have accused White of punishing his son too severely. In the letters, White denies Hall's accusations while defending his apparently strict approach to discipline. It is not certain whether both these letters were intended for Hall, or if one was written to another (unnamed) upset parent.

Copy of letters from Edward Wigglesworth and Samuel Williams to John Lowell, 1781-1782

Two leaves containing a two-page handwritten copy of the letter from Professor Edward Wigglesworth to John Lowell dated January 3, 1781 (HUM 86 Box 1, Folder 1), and a one-page handwritten copy of the letter from Professor Samuel William to John Lowell dated October [14], 1782 (HUM 86 Box 1, Folder 2).

Copy of letters from Ebenezer Storer to John Lowell, 1782 October 31

Two leaves containing two one-page handwritten copies of letters from Harvard College Treasurer Ebenezer Storer both dated October 31, 1782. The first letter outlines the salaries of several College officers and their funding sources. The second letter details the portion of the salaries received from the rents of the College and the assessments on students. The verso of the second leaf contains a note about the document written by one of John Lowell's sons.